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City Hall Address
1820
Inverness
Sylvan
Lake, MI 48320
City Hall Phone:
248-682-1440
Email City Hall
Click here to email City Hall
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WELCOME TO OUR
SPOTLIGHT ON THE
COMMUNITY!
We do want and need your input. It is very important to help keep our newsletter different and exciting each month. Would you like to let your neighbors know more about what your
committee is up to? Or maybe you have news and information
you would like to share, such as family announcements, recipes,
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that you think your neighbors will want to know about. We will include information as space allows.
All submissions must follow the Newsletter
Guidelines for Outside Submissions at the end of this
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Please encourage neighbors who have not signed
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will not receive our reminders and updates.
And don't forget to visit the Sylvan lake Website.
-- John Martin, City Manager
Below is a humorous, yet
good, reminder for all Sylvan Lake residents to drive safely and
cautiously, even while you are in your own driveway (this does not
reference any Sylvan Lake resident).
To My Darling Husband,
Before you return from your overseas trip, I just want to let you know about the small accident I had with the pick up truck when I turned into the driveway. Fortunately, not too bad, and I really didn't get hurt, so please don't worry too much about me. I was coming home from Wal-Mart, and when I turned into the driveway, I accidentally pushed down on the accelerator instead of the brake. The garage door is slightly bent but the pick up fortunately came to a halt when it bumped into your car. I am sorry, but I know that with your kindhearted personality, you will forgive me. You know how much I love you and care for you, my sweetheart. I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again. Your loving wife, X X X (click here for photo)
TUESDAY NOVEMBER
7th!
The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
in the DPW garage.
The garage is right behind City Hall, 1820 Inverness. Parking is available near the garage and
City Hall. Handicap parking is also
available near the garage.
The three candidates
vying for the two seats on City Council are David MacGillis, Sharon Maurina
and John Shepp. Please watch cable Channel 15 for interviews with each of
the candidates. The days and times to
watch are:
*A history video will also be played along with the candidates' forum on every day and time that is noted above. Also, on the ballot will be three local proposals: Community Center Bond Proposal, City Hall Bond Proposal, Millage for Parks and Recreation and an advisory question for the installation of new docks at the Community Center. See the city’s website for the full language. The Pontiac School District will also have a proposal on the ballot in November, to renew their operating millage of 18 mills. This affects non-homestead parcels only. This is only for residents living in the Pontiac School District. The Proposed
City Hall Renovation!
 The Proposed
Community Center!
 *Items To
Note:
Kiwanis is having a flu shot clinic on November 5th,
2006, at the Sylvan Lutheran Church from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You
need to register for the clinic prior to your arrival. Please call
248-682-0770 and leave a message letting them know how many in your party
will be coming.
Many Sylvan
Lake residents have shown exceptional support and encouragement of the
Berkley High School A Capella choir, and they would like to show their
appreciation. Here is a letter from Mrs. Marci Morrow, director of
Berkley's A Capella choir:
For more than a century, Carnegie Hall has
set the standard and tradition for excellence in performance. Every
artist who stands on the Hall's stage is standing on a base of history,
anchored by that tradition. The walls have echoed with applause for
the world's most outstanding classical artists and popular musicians of
our time. These artists have included Gustav Mahler, Liza Minnelli,
John Philip Sousa, and this year Berkley High School's A Capella
Choir. Statistics state that the odds of a child performing at
Carnegie Hall are 1 in 73,000, and Berkley is sending 30 students.
Our choir was invited to participate in this great honor after working
with conductor Dr. David Rayl from the Michigan State University.
Under Dr. Rayl's direction Berkley High School, several other choirs, and
the New England Symphonic Ensemble will perform Beethoven's Mass in C
Major on May 22, 2007 at 8:00 p.m..
While we are very excited to be presented
with this opportunity, we are also faced with the challenge of raising
significant funds. We are asking the City of Sylvan Lake to consider
allowing our choir to come and sing holiday carols at Memorial Park on
a Saturday or Sunday afternoon/early evening in December - date to be
chosen in the future. One of the members of A Capella lives in your
city and can act as the spokesperson for this ensemble. We ask that
in return your city residents make a small donation or allow us to collect
a free will offering.
Thank you for your
consideration.
Sincerely,
Marci Morrow
Choral Director, Berkley High
School
248-837-8118
The member of the A Capella choir who lives
in Sylvan Lake is Allison Zink, daughter of Dean and Charlene Zink.
The event will take place on one of three possible dates:
So far, there is an ensemble of eight girls who are wiling to sing for the City of Sylvan Lake. Please come out and continue to give them more of your much-appreciated support! The Planning
Commission meeting will be moved back a week to Tuesday, November 14th, at
7:30 p.m. at the Sylvan Lake Lutheran Church at 2399 Figa, West Bloomfield
Twp. (behind LaRosa Market). The main topic of discussion
will be the final edits to the City’s Master Plan.
The City Council
will be holding its regular meeting a week later this month also. It will
be on Wednesday, November 15th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sylvan Lake Lutheran
Church.
City Hall will be
closed on November 10th for Veteran's Day, and it will be closed on
November 23rd and 24th for
Thanksgiving.
If you are taking your boat out of the water early
to store it for the winter, we want to remind you to take your
registration out of your boat and keep it with you. You will need to
provide it to City Hall when you register for your dock
space next year.
Please remove all boat docks, boats, and all
mooring posts by Wednesday, November 15th. If they are not removed
by then, the City will do so at the dock space holder's expense and there
is a possibility you will lose your dock space. The City does not
want to do so, but it will be done if necessary for safety
reasons.
Are you going away
for the winter? If so, please notify City Hall and the City will
keep a close eye on your home while you are gone. City Hall can also
send you your absentee ballot for the election. Also, if nobody will
be at your home while you are away, you can save money by having your
water shut off.
At it's last meeting, City Council granted Special Use
Approval for the proposed Citgo Gas/Keego Energy
construction. The approval was granted with the 23 contingencies
made by Planning Commission and adding 12 more conditions. The
additional conditions mainly had to do with limiting the number of
incursions onto the property to limit the potential for accidents,
maintaining a good site-line for vehicles exiting the property near the
building and creating a better entry and exit point from Orchard Lake
Road.
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hearing has been
removed from the agenda pending a revised site
plan.
There will be a public forum on our local ballot
questions regarding the Community
Center, City Hall and Parks and Recreation. The last public
forum will be held on November 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at the Sylvan
Lake Lutheran Church. There will be a presentation of the video
produced by Alex James followed by a question and answer session.
Civic Center TV 15 will be airing it as part of their regular
programming. You can also view the video at City
Hall or check out a DVD or VHS copy at the front desk.
If you have questions or wish to host a small or large
informational meeting, please call City Hall or one of the City Council
members. Thank you again Alex James for your informative and very well
done video.
The last
day to submit an absentee voter application is Saturday, November
4th. City Hall will be open from 9:00 a.m. to to 2:00 p.m. on
Saturday for only that purpose. If you need an
emergency absentee ballot after Saturday, one can be obtained and voted at City Hall until 4:00 p.m. on Monday,
November 6th. All AV ballots must be returned by 8:00 p.m. on
Election Day. Ballots may be returned to City Hall or at the polls
(DPW garage).
The new Zoning Board of Appeals will be meeting on Wednesday,
November 8th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sylvan Lake Lutheran Church, to hear
three appeals:
The total sign
area of all political signs on a property shall not exceed twenty square
feet. They shall not be located in the road right-of-way, or
attached to any utility pole, other sign, other sign parts or landscaping
including trees. No ground sign shall be higher than four
feet above grade. Signs shall be removed within seven (7)
calendar days after the election. Signs are to be displayed on private property only.
No signs are allowed in the road right-of-way (approximately 12
feet from the edge of the street) or on City property.
Water bills are on the way! They are due, and payable, at
City Hall until November 20th without penalty,
School is back
in session and the park activity is winding down. There are still a
lot of nice days ahead of us until fall, so take advantage of the cooler
evenings and earlier sunsets. The restrooms will continue to be open
until mid-November unless it gets too cold.
Boat, Trailer, and Recreational
Vehicle Storage
Please remember when removing your boat to take your registration with you. You will need to provide it to register next year. We have a recreational vehicle (RV) storage ordinance that governs where recreational vehicles may be stored. This includes boats and boat trailers. The following is a partial list of items.
The police
department is reminding you to keep your cars, garages, and homes
locked. There were incidents of vehicles being broken into last
month. There have been no reported incidents since then, but be sure
to take precautionary measures.
There will be
violation notices and tickets given to anyone violating the City's
ordinances. This includes common violations such as:
A
boat ramp key is $20 and allows you to use the City boat ramp located on
Ferndale, next to the Oakland County Boat Club. Original boat
registration and proof of Sylvan Lake residency must be provided to purchase a
key. One boat launch sticker will be provided with the ramp
key. They are now available at City Hall. There will be no replacement keys sold if you
lose yours.
We
are still routinely checking dock spaces for compliance. If you know
someone that is violating our dock policy, for example doesn't own the boat
at their dock, doesn't live in the City, etc. Please notify City
Hall.
Although summer is nearly over, it's not too late to be thinking
about Bocce Ball. There is always next year! If you are
interested in organizing a league for a second night of the week,
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are available. Mike Grasser
will help you get the organization process started. If you have any
questions, contact Mike at 248-681-9022 or
248-505-4744.
These
stickers are required on all watercraft launched and Removed at the boat ramp, with the
exception of the guest ramp pass. If you have a second boat, you
must purchase an additional sticker in order to launch your
watercraft. They are available at City Hall for a cost of $10.
You must be a resident and show your original boat registration showing the
resident owns the watercraft in order to purchase a sticker.
A
guest ramp pass will be issued to a resident (only) for the purpose of
allowing a specific guest to use the boat ramp. The cost of the
guest pass is $25 for one day, for one watercraft. If a
guest leaves his or her watercraft in the water for more than one
day, then another guest pass will be required to use the ramp when the
watercraft is removed. The charge is based only on how many days the boat ramp is used (not how many
days the boat is in the water). To obtain a guest pass, a resident must fill out a very
short form indicating the type of watercraft along with the MC number that
will be using the boat ramp. Guest ramp passes are available at City
Hall during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
There is still one opening on the Cable Advisory
Board. This is a three-year term running from July 1st through June
30th. If you are interested or have any questions, please
call/submit a letter to City Hall.
Yard
waste will be picked up by a yard waste truck on the same day as garbage
collection (Wednesday). So make sure your yard waste is separated
from your garbage. Yard waste includes: cut grass, leaves, shrub
trimmings, sod, twigs, small branches, etc. Please follow the
guidelines below:
Richfield Equities has
been picking up your trash for a month now. As you have probably
noticed, they start early and are finished early, so make sure your trash
is out no later than 7:00 a.m.
You can continue to set out bulk items, but you will need to call
the hauler for a special pick-up. They will also be collecting the
leaves this fall. The flyer Richfield Equities sent out lists days
your street will be collected for leaves only. Watch for further
details on the October newsletter.
The leaf collection program will
have a few changes this year. Our waste collectors, Richfield
Management will be collecting the leaves this year. You should
have received a letter from them a couple months ago.
Collection will begin the first week in October and continue
through the second week of December. Please review their map, which they
provided to you, for your collection day (Monday, Wednesday, or
Friday). If you do not have your map please call
1-877-609-6853. Please be sure to get all your leaves
this fall because the spring collection has been eliminated.
In the Spring, all leaves will have to be bagged and put at the
curb for collection with yard waste. I’m sure most of
you are very adept at the procedure, but we need to make note of a few
important points.
We have been
receiving complaints about about dead trees and not maintaining
trees. This can be dangerous to not only your household, but your
neighbor's as well. Dead trees allow animals to harbor in them and
it could eventually fall on a house. Please take care of them
properly.
Building
permits must be obtained if you are going to do any repairs, remodeling,
renovating, building, plumbing, or electrical work on your home.
Always check with City Hall before starting any project. Permits are
also required for any improvements made in the road right-of-way. A
zoning permit is required for fences, driveways, parking areas,
etc.
Only 10 percent of Sylvan Lake
residents recycle. Recycling is included as a part of your normal
trash collection. Bins are available at City Hall. It is not
necessary to use their recycling bin. Your first recycling bin is
free, but if you like more, they are $10 each.
Rocks, boulders, wood, and reflectors are not allowed in the
road right-of-way (ROW). Violation notices will be issued, and a
ticket will follow if necessary.
Property tax information is now
available on the Oakland County 24-hour tax hotline by calling
248-858-0025. To access tax information, you will need to enter your
10-digit parcel ID number. There is no charge for this
service.
SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan
Council of Governments, believes that pollutants during the warm days of
spring and summer most effectively creates ground-level ozone. Many
of these pollutants are caused by everyday activities, such as driving,
refueling, painting, barbecuing, etc. Here are some tips to help
decrease pollutants during the warm days that are knocking at our
door!
If you would like to be added to
SEMCOG's notification list, please send an email to ozoneaction@semcog.org.
The project is coming to a
close. There are a few areas that still
need repair, but the majority of the
project is complete. With the last large
rain events, the drainage system worked fantastically. I am sure for many of you, the
restoration done in front of your yard is not as nice as you would have
done. Please remember that the
contractor is moving through the city and trying to make things uniform,
create proper drainage, etc. As the grass
grows in, please feel free to spruce up the
area, just do not fill in the ditch or place rocks or stones above the
ground. Most of you have been very
patient and it is appreciated.
Make sure you read the entire Water Quality
Report on the Sylvan Lake
website. It is found on the left column of the home page titled
2005 CCR (Consumer Confidence Report) What is a variance? Click to read
about the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), how the appeal process works, and
how the ZBA tries to relieve property owners from ordinances uniquely
affecting them.
The Michigan Department of
Transportation has new stormwater education and outreach materials.
Some items that are listed for other Phase II permit holders
are:
See their website and soil erosion animation! The Clinton River Watershed Council
(CRWC) is a non-profit organization to help protect and improve the health
of the Clinton River. The CRWC also wants to assure that the river's
natural, economical, and recreational attributes enhance the quality of
life for those who are directly affected by it. The CRWC is made up
of four full-time and two part-time staff along with a 15-member board of
directors. They provide programs in areas of watershed management,
such as Stream Leaders, Adopt-A-Stream, River Day, and Clinton Clean-Up
Programs. The Clinton River, as some may know, runs
through Sylvan Lake. Click here
to learn how the CRWC has such an impact on Sylvan Lake.
Consider
becoming a CRWC Adopt-A-Stream volunteer!! Join Ruth
Glass, the CRWC's new office assistant, for an Autumn River Walk at the
Stoney Creek Metro Park on Saturday, November 4th, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00
a.m.
Ruth is an
avid bird watcher and she hopes to point out the late migrating birds
along that stretch of the shoreline. During her last hike, she
spotted a pair of falcons either playing or fighting mid-air along the
tree tops for nearly a half hour.
This hike will
take place at the northwest shore of Stony Creek Lake. You can meet
Ruth at the Osprey Trail parking lot in the northern portion of Stoney
Creek Metro park. There is a vehicle entry fee if you do not have a
2006 metro park pass. The event will also take place rain or
shine. No registration for the hike is required.
Bring
binoculars if you have them. The hike will be short and
leisurely. The area was considered a valuable enough natural
resource to be selected for the Osprey Recovery program.
If you have
any questions, please contact Ruth at ruth@crwc.org or at 248-601-0606,
extension 10.
For the 2007 Home and Garden
Tour, the tour committee would like to add more gardens. The
committee has no specific requirements for the gardens as long as they are
pleasant places to be. The Home and Garden Tour will take place on
June 16th, 2007. Some homes and gardens have already been
chosen. Residents who know of any gardens that would be a good
addition to the tour should call Judy Schwanitz.
Join the Garden Club - The Sylvan Lake Garden Club was
organized in 1939 and has been meeting ever since. Activities
include putting on the Ice Cream Social, organizing the Plant Exchange,
and working in Memorial Park. This year, several members
participated in the garlic mustard pull for the Michigan Nature
Association in Davisburg. The meetings feature field trips,
speakers, and idea exchanges among members. Some members are very
experienced gardeners and others are novices. The club meets on the
third Thursday of every month, typically around 1:00 p.m. Members
who cannot attend the meetings can still take part in many
activities. Anyone interested in joining should call Helen
McAllister at 248-682-1082 or email her at helenmcallister@sbcglobal.net.
The old railroad
that is now a trail that goes through Sylvan Lake is part of the Clinton
River Trail system. For all of you trail users and
enthusiasts, the Clinton River Trail's website
is full of news and updated features. It is updated by the Friends of
Clinton River Trail (FCRT). Thanks to John Hensler, and FCRT member,
the website is getting better and better. For any words of
appreciation or any suggestions, please contact John at john@sunkenanchor.com
This library has been ranked one
of the top 100 public libraries in the United States. The main
branch is located at 4600 Walnut Lake Road. Another branch is
Westacres located at 7321 Commerce Road. Feel free to look at their
on line programs and services, computer terminals, audio books, and
videos. There is no charge for this service. Just provide your
driver's license or state I.D. number.
Community Service Directory
|
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has the power to grant variances upon appeal, from the strict application of the zoning ordinance. An appeal may be filed when there is a practical difficulty or hardship preventing the property owner from conforming to the strict letter of the ordinance. The ZBA will consider the request for a variance and determine whether it may be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and without substantially impairing the intent and purpose of the ordinance.The authority of the ZBA is designed to provide relief to a property owner from an ordinance that is uniquely affecting him/her. The problem the property owner faces must be created by circumstances unique to the property and not shared by surrounding parcels and the problem cannot be self-created. Typically, the following situations must exist:
The City of
Sylvan Lake welcomes articles, news and updates from members of the
community. Such information should be relevant to Sylvan Lake, to its
residents and to living in the community. The editor reserves the
right to accept or reject any such information. All such information
will also be edited for style and space.
In
submitting information, please follow the guidelines below.
Submit your information, preferably in electronic form,
to:
Newsletter Editor
Newsletter@Sylvanlake.org
248-682-1440
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Sylvan Lake Spotlight
Sylvan Lake Spotlight is published by the City of Sylvan Lake, 1820
Inverness, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320. Resident news and information are
welcome, but must follow newsletter editorial guidelines. To request a
copy of the Editorial Guidelines,
contact City Manager John Martin at martinsylvanlk@comcast.net.
In the future, Advertising may
be accepted from residents and local businesses. Please watch future
newsletters to obtain advertising rate information, or to place an ad in
the Community Service Directory or Classified Advertising
section..
LEGAL NOTICE: This email
may be considered an advertising or promotional message. If you no
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